1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device which can be employed as a racing gate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a racing gate which is actuated by the kite string or kite strings of a horizontally moving kite.
2. The Prior Art
The sport of racing kites is becoming increasing popular. There is one form of kite, sometimes referred to as a delta-wing kite, which is mounted on the end of a pair of kite lines, as opposed to a single kite line for the more conventional type of kite. When the delta kite is in the air, the two lines will extend downwardly to the ground where they are held, separately, in the hands of the operator. Without discussing the theory under which these double line kites operate, a skilled operator, by controlling the lines individually can make these kites perform feats which are not normally possible with a conventional single line kite. It is possible, for example, with these delta-wing kites, after they have been launched in the air, to move these kites in a horizontal direction, at a great rate of speed where the kite is moving, as it were, on a knife edge.
In racing these delta-wing kites horizontally, it has become a practice of late to run these kites competitively through different horizontal and vertical patterns and to record the time required for each kite to transverse a given course. Thus, it can be said that there is a sport of kite racing.
At the present time the method of "timing" a kite over a predetermined course is by a stopwatch and visual observation (estimation) as to when the kite begins and finishes the course.
As far as the present inventor is aware there are no gates which can be deflected by the movement of the kite which would permit an accurate timing of the movement of the kite over a given course along which such gates might be located.